Parking tickets: What's the deal with these fines?

I’m looking for some advice here..
On my way back from a trip, I ended up leaving my car in a "handicapped" spot about 25 minutes away from my place. I put "handicapped" in quotes because, honestly, the parking situation on this street (near downtown Washington, D.C.) is a total joke. Up until this specific block, everything is paid parking and strictly enforced, but once you hit this stretch, all bets are off. Over the last decade, the city has repainted the lines multiple times, but they never actually extend the paid zone to this street. All those "marked" spots are basically a fantasy; nobody follows them. In a row meant for five cars, you'll consistently see six or seven, most of them double-parking across two spots. I actually asked the local parking authority why they don't just expand the zone to include this street, and they just gave me some bureaucratic nonsense about not having the authorization to do so...
Basically, the whole area is just unregulated wild parking. Those painted lines—including the handicap spot—seem to be there just to prep for the day they finally decide to expand the zone (which hasn't happened all year).
To be clear, I’m not an idiot; I would never park in a legitimate handicap spot, and I’ve never even used this one before. It was an exceptional circumstance—my wife was feeling really unwell due to the heat and the long drive, and I didn't have much of a choice. I’m wondering if there's anything I can do to avoid a ticket or getting towed. The entire lot feels like it lacks any official permit or zoning approval, because people have been parking here for years and I have yet to see a single tow truck touch anyone—not even on that "handicap" spot, where 99% of the time, it's just a regular car parked there anyway.
Thanks

Is there some yellow paint on the curb there, or did they actually put up a sign or something? Because if either one of those things is happening, then the whole situation is pretty damn obvious.

vividraven26 said:Is there some yellow paint on the curb there, or did they actually put up a sign or something? Because if either one of those things is happening, then the whole situation is pretty damn obvious.

Thanks for the input.
The yellow paint has faded and the bollard is dented. To reiterate, this lot has never actually been enforced; if it were, at least 40 cars would be towed every single day because everyone parks "incorrectly." I suspect they’re just waiting to implement paid parking—which, frankly, I don't know why they haven't done yet—before they start regulating this section. My guess is the lot lacks a valid occupancy permit (does such a thing even exist for a parking lot?), because if you take up two spots in front of an apartment building in Brooklyn, the city will tow you instantly. That isn't happening here.
Thanks

The lines are drawn, everything’s crystal clear. Honestly, who even cares about the billing schemes or whether they actually charge you or not? It's all the same at this point.